ICONX: Apollo 11 Astronaut

The suit was a pressure vessel, a life support system and a spacecraft in its own right, and it was sewn largely by hand.

The A7L was built by a company that had spent the previous decades making brassieres, because what NASA needed was people who understood soft goods under pressure rather than aerospace engineers. Twenty-one layers. Hand-stitched to a tolerance of about one sixty-fourth of an inch. Twelve men walked in one, and the suits are now degrading in storage faster than anyone can conserve them.

ICONX is the premium line: larger sheets, more parts and a noticeably longer build than the standard Metal Earth kits, typically an evening rather than an hour. Same principle throughout, laser-cut stainless steel with tab-and-slot assembly and no glue, but the tolerances are tighter and the backpack and helmet assemblies want a steady hand. Tweezers and needle-nose pliers essential.

Perfect for: Anyone who thinks the interesting part of the moon landing was the equipment.

ICONX premium series | Laser-cut steel | No glue required | Age 14+